You need the right software to teach you all the skills of the song you’ve worked so hard to turn those ideas into reality. You also need to streamline your workflow to simplify the music making process so you do not have to worry about it: just create it. Today, we’ll look at the top four digital audio workstations (DAW) and help you choose which DAW works best for you.

Since its beginning in 1999, Ableton Live has grown steadily for a good reason as a very popular DAW. We believe that this is the best digital audio workstation for most of our readers. Here’s the reason: It has the standard features of Multitrack and Copy/Paste/joint recording, but what’s special about this software is the uninterrupted MIDI sequence software and hardware. We had so many problems with our MIDI controllers assigned to our sounds through the audio application, but from the transition to Ableton, it was extremely headache free. Another big advantage is the included audio packages. Although this really depends on your preferences and whether you have upgraded your devices and sounds, it has 23 audio libraries so you can start making music right from the start (ideal for beginners).

FL Studio

This is one of the top DAW for persons who want to get started in the music world. FL Studio Image-Line has been withdrawn for quite some time and is one of the most popular programs so far. It has its standard etiquette with pitch change, correction, extension time, cut, paste and function, but its interface is particularly suitable for beginners. It will take some reading to get started, but once you have learned it, you will be ready. There are many YouTube videos that go back to 2005 and provide tutorials for almost every feature you need to explain. The latest version contains more than 30 synthesizer software for immediate use, so if you just bought a controller and want some sounds to start playing, you do not have to spend a lot of money.

You can utilize MIDI keyboards, record with a microphone, perform your standard editing and mixing operations, and with a simple interface, you simply get what you essentially need in music software. There are also some advanced features. Once you become familiar with them, you can deepen them to get a solid learning curve for the future. It is very easy to use, particularly if you add some virtual tools and play them in MIDI. Another advantage is that it works very well with PC or Mac; the selling price is also much lower than others, so it’s definitely cheap. We recommend that you get it, even if it is for someone younger. What made this program famous in our view is the fact that the ninth wonder works with FL Studio today.

Avid Pro Tools

What is there really to say about Avid Pro Tools? If you are looking for the mastering and mixing industry standard, this is the software you should get. It provides you with the standard capability to record, compose, edit, mix, master, etc. What’s advanced is that it has its Avid Audio Engine, which has a super-fast processor, a 64-bit memory for sessions, its own buffer latency – provides to help with this annoying delay and the built-in metering. Change the tempo at the time of any track, and there is something called Elastic Pitch that looks a bit like automatic tuning in terms of “correcting” harmonies. It also includes 70 effects and additional components: reverberation, compressors, equalizers, channel stripping, the works – everything you can imagine, Pro Tools has. It’s well-suited with both PC and Mac, though it works a little better with the Mac.

Propellerhead Reason

The Propellerhead Reason is a little less familiar in the music software community, but it’s one of the most steady we’ve learned. Pretty clever, since you can drag and drop the interface (like synth patches and effects directly to the sequencer), it has a relatively fast system, as many have claimed, and most significantly, the workflow is remarkably half-deep for those in the middle rank professional.

Reason has a very hard mixing console, better than many others such as Logic or Pro Tools. This is also a great DAW for those who record guitar or bass as it contains amplifier plug-ins and Softube speakers. These are great for adding effects and presets to your riffs, and they work well with PCs and Macs. What’s clever is the ability of the software to automatically cut and merge audio files; even if they are a bit boring, it is good to cut these files before you inquire. Finally, it’s compatible with all MIDI hardware, so it’s pretty good with respect to important aspects within a workstation.

Do not choose a DAW just because someone tells you that it’s cheap/free or “super easy to use”: you want something that helps you to capture your music correctly. Do not choose something just for the reason that you think it’s easy. All are simple; it just takes time and dedication from you to get used to it.